It should not be a surprise that the women’s last downhill practice was canceled due to mild weather because Sochi, Russia is in a subtropic climate and a popular summer resort. The Weather Channel showed temperatures would not fall below 50°F this entire week.
The mild weather causes the snow to be too soft, which is just one of many problems with the course. American skier Bode Miller said the Rosa Khutor course could kill someone. His teammate Marco Sullivan took a terrible spill and narrowly missed a horrific injury. The slopestyle course for snowboarders is just as bad. Merika Enne of Finland crashed and left on a stretcher. American snowboarder Shaun White pulled out of the event because of safety concerns.
The women’s super-combined race occurred on the course on Monday while temperatures were above normal. This caused damage to the course such as deep ruts at the bottom.
Ski slopes are not the only surfaces affected by the weather. US speed skater Patrick Meek said the rink was too humid for fast times.